


Family Ties

by Floptopus



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Gallifrey (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: But in a QPP way, Gen, Leela/Narvin - Freeform, but ended up as angst, it ends happily though, this was supposed to be shippy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 11:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15580755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Floptopus/pseuds/Floptopus
Summary: In the night, the nightmares come. Leela and Narvin have both lost parts of themselves - parts they'd never expected to live without.





	Family Ties

**Author's Note:**

> So I was going to write the shippy fluff at the beginning but then the rest happened so enjoy.

Narvin was turning over in his bed for the fifty-third time when he heard a soft knock on the door. Ever since he had lost his lives, the nightmares have claimed him every night. He couldn’t even _get_ to sleep any more – every time he closed his eyes, he could feel the fear and the pain and the adrenaline that would course through him and wake him up before he could shut down.  
“Narvin?” murmured a voice from behind the door. “Are you awake? May I come in?”  
As tempted as he was to pretend to be asleep, to stay silent until Leela left, he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping anyway. So, with a sigh, he crawled out of bed to let her in.  
“I could not sleep,” Leela told him as she walked inside and perched on his bed. “I dreamed about the explosion again, and I wished to see that you were well. I find that company keeps the nightmares away.”  
Narvin frowned. Surely she wasn’t implying- “You want to stay here? With me?”  
She nodded. “You Time Lords are so cold, but you still breathe. I do not feel so afraid when I am not alone.”  
He was surprised. Leela was so open about her dreams and her fears. He could never trust another, not even Leela or Romana, with his emotions in the way that she did. But even though he knew Leela was more emotionally honest than he could dare to be, he didn’t expect her to trust _him_. Despite that, though, he understood why she had come to him and not Romana – ever since Braxiatel had left, Romana had been distant and wouldn’t allow either of them into her room on the axis.  
“Fine,” he said, getting back into his bed but leaving space for Leela to join him. “You can stay for tonight, but this won’t be a regular occurrence.” They both knew that wasn’t true – Narvin had contemplated a similar course of action for weeks, but had never plucked up the courage to ask.   
Leela clambered into the bed carefully, then shuffled over so that her back was pressed against his, the warmth from her body seeping into him. The regular rise and fall of her chest and the soft beating of hear single Human heart lulled him to sleep.  
For the first time in over a month, the nightmares didn’t touch him.

\---

This new Gallifrey was intimidating and, since Leela had left the citadel, isolating. The heater in his room was turned onto maximum to try and ward off the cold that seeped its way into his bones, but to no avail. Not only that, but the silence and the space were filled with nightmares once again.   
Romana was no help, either, as though he knew she had nightmares of her own she didn’t want to talk about them, couldn’t admit to even a shred of weakness in this twisted and chaotic world. And, though neither of them would admit to it, they missed Leela. The freed slaves were not her own people, despite how much she longed for them to be, and Narvin couldn’t understand why she would put her own life on the line and turn her back on her true friends for these people she barely knew. Having a spy made things a little easier, but each time Maris spoke to him he felt pain worse than any knife wound at the thought of Leela’s betrayal.   
How could he ever survive in this world when the only force that had kept him grounded on the axis was gone.

\---

They had returned to their home and, with it, normality. Narvin had quietly informed Leela of a secret passage that led to his suite in the CIA headquarters, and most nights she used it to continue the sleeping arrangement that had started on the axis without starting unflattering – not to mention completely untrue – rumours about the co-ordinator of the CIA and the presidential bodyguard.  
The road to forgiving Leela hadn’t been easy, but as he looked down at the woman curled up in his arms, Narvin felt a rush of love. Not romantic love, something he’d never felt and was certain he never would, and _definitely_ not… No, this was the warm, contented love of a deeply powerful bond born of friendship and trust. He knew without a doubt that he would die for the warrior sleeping next to him, that she was as dear to him as Gallifrey itself, and he hoped with all his hearts that she felt the same way.   
“My dear, sweet Leela,” he murmured as he drifted into peaceful sleep, “whatever would I do without you?”

\---

When the war came, Narvin found out very quickly. Even before the official declaration, before the death of his almost-sister Ace had fractured his hearts and the disappearance of Leela had shattered them, he had had very little time to sleep and even less to share with Leela. By the time of Rassilon’s resurrection and Romana’s arrest, he could barely function on an emotional level. He hadn’t felt this lost and isolated since they day he had had all his regenerations torn from him, only this time there was nobody to pull him through. He was left like a robot, coldly calculating strategies to cause more death and directing his army of spies and assassins.  
It wasn’t enough. The complete disappearance of the Master meant he couldn’t even avenge Leela’s death as she would have his. No amount of digging could uncover a way to get Romana free from the cell that Rassilon had thrown her in, and away from this wretched war. Even Braxiatel had abandoned him and, no matter what depths they sunk to, no matter how much like the enemies they despised they became, the Time Lords couldn’t turn the tide of the war.  
It was only a matter of time until Gallifrey fell, but at least then Narvin might be able to join his surrogate family in rest.

\---

In the last days of the time war, Narvin was sitting at his desk trying to co-ordinate what was left of Gallifrey’s forces when a nervous-looking agent scurried in with a note written on paper. Yes, paper.   
“Urgent message from Cardinal Ollistra,” the boy stammered, handing him the note and then practically sprinting from the room.  
Well, that explained the paper. For all her skills, Ollistra had great trouble typing on a data pad and preferred to handwrite all correspondence. But, when he looked at the note, Narvin was puzzled once again. It wasn’t written in the neat, uniform print of the Cardinal but instead the messy scrawl one would expect only from a medtech. Curious, he opened the note and read it.  
 _Co-ordinator Narvin,  
I know that we have had our fair share of disagreements in the past, but I must put aside my personal feelings about you for the moment as you are the only person who can help me.  
Ace is alive.  
I discovered her unconscious and in a bad way in the middle of nowhere, in 21st century Earth. I am told that she has trouble with her short-term memory, and even more trouble recalling what happened to her, but she should survive. If you go to the Tower of London any time after the 27th May 2004 and ask to see her, they should allow you to. I have given them your description and told them that, should you wish it, they are to hand her over to your custody. Please, make sure she is looked after. She was always like a daughter to me and I only ever took her to Gallifrey so that she could get an education. I never dreamed that she would be caught up in a war like this.  
Leela is alive.  
She wished to fight until the end, but I couldn’t allow it. She is currently assisting in a field hospital situated in the ruins of Phaidon. She’s not injured herself and the hospital isn’t a threat to the Daleks, so they have left well alone. She suffered at the hands of the Master, but I will allow her to tell you about it herself, when she’s ready.  
Gallifrey will fall.   
You have one day.  
In three spans from your receiving this letter, there will be chaos in the Citadel not caused by the Daleks. Use this chaos to steal a TARDIS, find Romana, and run. Find Leela and take her too. Go to Earth and find Ace. I don’t expect to survive the fall of the Time Lords but I have every intention of ensuring the entire Dalek race is wiped out with us. I beg of you; once I am gone, look after my friends. Keep them safe. There could be a life for the four of you on Earth, if you leave now.  
Farewell,  
Doctor no more_  
Narvin stared at the letter in shock. What did the Doctor know? What was he planning? But, as the force of another Dalek bomb shook the citadel, he knew that either way Gallifrey was doomed. He had hope in his heart for the first time in this centuries-long war, and he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity to save the people he cared about.  
And so Narvinectralonum checked his watch, and began to plan.

\---

The cloister bells thundered through Arcadia, Narvin slipped past the panicked guards and into the Vaults of Rassilon. There was nothing dangerous here, except the one thing he was looking for. He grabbed the book and ran, not to the heavily guarded TARDIS bay but to the graveyard. Nobody paid any attention to him sprinting through the corridors, book in hand. They were too busy staring in horror as the Daleks closed in.  
When he was inside, he slowed for a second to analyse his choices. Most of the TARDISes were clearly damaged beyond repair, their insides spilling outwards or a soft haze surrounding them, indicating temporal leakage. The ones he trusted the least were the innocent-looking capsules, those that appeared to be fresh from the nurseries. Goodness knew what dangers they held, if they had been put down here. Besides, nothing more recent that a Type Fifty would have the subtlety and unpredictability to get him free from the Daleks and deliver him to where he needed to go. As he was thinking this, his eyes were drawn to a machine in the shape of an Earth car, painted in a soft pastel blue and with the word ‘Prefect’ written on the front in metallic script. He walked up, opened the door, and entered a huge, gothic space. Bolting the door behind him, he hurried to the heptagonal control panel and ran a diagnostic on the scanner.  
“Type 42,” he muttered to himself. “This’ll do nicely.” And with that, he held the Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey aloft and turned the last page.

\---

Shada was silent. But, then again, Shada was always silent. Nobody ever set foot in this place except the most dangerous criminals, held here in permanent stasis. Poor Romana wouldn’t have even known the time was passing in here. Perhaps that was for the best, Narvin thought, as he ran through the corridors towards his President. She would have suffered more, hearing the sounds of war and being unable to do anything about it, languishing in a cell alone as the centuries slowly drove her insane. No, she was better off being completely unaware than aware and incapacitated.   
His hands trembled as he reached for the lock to her stasis pod and typed in his override code. For a moment, the lock did nothing and he felt sick. Had Rassilon really had the time to revoke his powers during the chaos in the Capitol? After what felt like eternity but could only have been a second or two, the lock flashed green and the door swung open with a hiss of steam.   
Romana stumbled out of the pod and collapsed into his arms. “Narvin, what-“  
“There’s no time, Romana, we have to get out of here.” He pulled one arm over her shoulder and helped her limp on unsteady limbs to where his TARDIS was parked in the main hub of the prison.   
With less grace than he cared to admit, he bundled her through the car door and then clambered in himself, preparing to set co-ordinates for Phaidon.

\---

The planet was in ruins. Narvin walked alone through the ghosts of streets towards a single, large white tent in the distance. He had tried to land closer, but some force had prevented him. A makeshift temporal barrier as given to them by the Doctor, he suspected.   
Inside the tent was almost silent. Beds stretched as far as the eye could see but almost all were empty.  
“Hello?” he called out. “Is anybody here?”  
And then he saw her. She was kneeling next to one of the few occupied beds, nursing a creature that he vaguely recognised from centuries ago as a Monan. When she heard his voice, she stood up in shock and, before he could even blink, pulled out a staser and trained it on him.  
“Speak, stranger, or I will shoot you down where you stand.”  
“Leela?” he asked, barely more than a whisper. He could barely speak from the joy and hope threatening to consume him, but he forced himself to open his mouth. “Leela, it’s me.”  
She gasped, and a smile split her face. “Narvin!” she cried, dropping the staser and running towards him with open arms. “Narvin, you do not know how much I have missed you! I dearly wish I could have seen you sooner, but the Doctor did not think it wise to take me to Gallifrey for fear of the Time Lords killing me. I told him that I was not afraid of them, and that you would protect me, but he refused to take me. Oh Narvin,” she had pulled him into her arms and was weeping on his shoulder, “it is good to see you.”  
Narvin, too, was crying from the pure happiness and relief he felt at seeing Leela. Through his tears, he smiled down at her and spoke. “Leela, he told me that Ace is alive and well, on Earth. Will you come with me and Romana to find her?”  
Leela pulled out of the embrace and frowned at him. “You would leave Gallifrey for this? Narvin, this is not like you. I know you not to be a coward. You would not run away.”  
Narvin shook his head. “Gallifrey is falling. Soon, the Time Lords will be destroyed completely. The Doctor told me he had a plan, but it’s no more than mutual destruction. He’s stolen the Moment and I think he intends to use it on Gallifrey.”  
Leela looked at him in shock and confusion. “Narvin,” she asked, “what is the Moment?”  
“They call it the galaxy eater,” he replied. “If used, it would completely obliterate Gallifrey and everyone on it. The planet would be destroyed so completely that it would be as if it had never existed. The only consolation is that it would eradicate the Daleks, too.”  
“And you believe the Doctor would do this?” she asked, horrified.  
“Leela, you haven’t been on Gallifrey. You haven’t seen the calls that Rassilon has made, how many planets full of innocents he has wiped out in the name of ‘acceptable collateral damage’. The Time Lords may as well be Daleks, for all they care about the lesser races.”  
She nodded at this. “I have seen their destruction,” she replied, “and it is terrible. I will come with you, Narvin. There is only death to be found in this place.” She motioned to the ward. “I am glad that you are well. Romana and ace also, of course, but you most of all.”   
She took his hand and together they walked back to the TARDIS, where Romana lay sleeping to recover from her stasis, and towards their future.

\---

Narvin was setting co-ordinate for the 28th May 2004, London, Earth, when he felt it. A Psychic shockwave so powerful and horrific that he had to sprint to the toilet to throw up. As he was retching, he heard Romana’s horrified scream followed be Leela’s soothing voice. As soon as he was sure he was finished, he ran back to the console room to find Romana sitting up, looking awake but more than a little pale, and Leela trying to comfort her as best she could.  
“It’s gone,” Romana whispered, aghast. “Gallifrey. It’s gone.”  
“I know,” he replied, sitting down on her other side and putting his arm around her. “I felt it too.”  
“All those people, screaming out, and then complete silence.”  
“I can feel the absence like a hole in my hearths.”  
“How did it happen? The war hasn’t been-“  
“Romana,” he said, softly, “The war has been raging for over four hundred years, Relative Gallifreyan Time. You’ve been in stasis for over four centuries.”  
She blanched, and then looked to Leela who nodded sadly in confirmation. The three of them fell into an embrace, shedding silent tears for the loss of their home and their people.

\---

Narvin liked the suit. The white shirt and trousers, along with the black jacket and boots, made him feel like he was wearing an Earth approximation of his CIA robes. Add in a heliotrope tie that Romana had found in the depths of the TARDIS wardrobe, and it felt… like him. Leela stood on one side of him, wearing a knee-length red dress and a plaid shawl that looked unusually modest and yet completely normal on her. Romana stood on his other side, wearing a long trench coat and scarf that looked similar to, and yet so different from, the outfit she had first worn in that regeneration. Together, they marched up to the ticket desk of the Tower of London.  
“What can I do for you, sir?” asked the short, blonde woman on the desk. Her voice gave off an air of boredom, but there was an alertness to her eyes and posture that Narvin instantly noticed.  
“We want to see Ace,” Narvin replied quietly.  
She sat up a little straighter, and her hand reached subtly under the desk. “I’m sorry, sir,” she said in the same faux-bored voice, “but-”  
“Ace McShane. We want to see her. We’re her family.” Then, as an afterthought, he added, “I understood she needed a _Doctor_.”  
The woman checked her computer then relaxed a little. “Of course, sir. Your tour guide will be here shortly,” she said, a touch louder.  
After only a minute or so waiting, a young woman with ginger hair walked up to them and gave them a warm smile.  
“Hi,” she said in an American accent, “if you’d like to come this way, I’ll show you around the place.” They followed her through ornately furnished corridors until they reached a nondescript wooden door. She opened it to reveal another, incredibly anachronistic, corridor with brushed steel walls and bright electric lights and beckoned them through.  
“Handprint scanner,” she explained to them. “Anyone unauthorised who tries to open this door will find it locked. I’m Doctor Holloway, by the way.” She offered each of them her hand and then strode down the corridor, calling over her shoulder, “Ace is in the medical wing. She’s doing okay, but we’ve been keeping her where we can see her because she has occasional blackouts.”  
Leela, Narvin and Romana exchanged worried glances. What had happened to Ace?  
The medical wing was situated opposite a locked door covered in post-it notes that read **R &D Labs – No weapons allowed!** in both English and, oddly enough, circular Gallifreyan. Next to this door was an umbrella holder filled with quite a few guns, a couple of knives and what appeared to be some kind of scythe/gun hybrid.  
The surroundings inside the medical wing were significantly friendlier than outside. The walls were painted in soft pastel colours, the beds looked comfortable and the two wooden desks on either end were covered in personal artefacts. Narvin noticed very little of this, however, as sitting on the bed nearest the door reading a book was Ace. Hearing the noise of the door, she set it aside and looked up.  
“Narv?” she breathed. “Romana? Leela? Is it really you?”  
They were all nodding, making a beeline for the young woman as she stood up. They surrounded her in a familial huddle, all trying at once to hug her.  
“You are well!” Leela murmured into Ace’s hair. “We feared you were dead!”  
“Indeed,” mused Romana. “Brax has quite a bit of explaining to do.”  
“Do you… know what happened?” Narvin asked, tentatively.  
“I-” Ace took a step out of there embrace, and sat down. She sighed heavily. “It’s not clear. I remember leaving Gallifrey with Brax, but everything’s hazy after that. I remember his voice, and a feeling of terror, and then nothing. If I dig too deep into those memories I black out, and when I black out I usually forget a couple of hours. It’s difficult. Sometimes I’ll black out at other times too, or just forget the past few minutes. It’s really frustrating.”  
Narvin stared at her in horror. He’d always known that Braxiatel was a spineless traitor, but wiping Ace’s memories like that seemed extreme, even for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Leela’s hand twitching towards her thigh where she usually kept her knife. Like him, she was probably thinking of exactly what she would do to Braxiatel if he ever showed his miserable little face again.  
“Ace,” Romana began, “We’re looking to stay on Earth for the foreseeable future. Would you like to stay with us?”  
Ace seemed surprised at this. “What about the war? I want to help!”  
Narvin shook his head sadly. “It’s over,” he told her. “Both races, gone. Eradicated.”  
“But you survived? How”  
“We were warned by the Doctor,” Leela said. “He is the one who ended the war. He told Narvin to get us, to come and find you, and not to go back to Gallifrey. Narvin and Romana both felt the end of their people. They said it was a psychic shock wave.”  
“I have his letter, if you want to read it,” Narvin offered. Ace nodded, took the letter, and read in silence. Once she had finished, she handed it back to him and took a shaky breath.  
“I would love to stay with you,” she told them. “With the Doctor gone, you’re the only family I have left.”  
They all smiled then. For the first time since seeing her, they all smiled genuine, happy smiles.  
“But,” Ace said, winking at them, “what’s your plan? What are we going to do with our lives?”  
“We had time to discuss this on the way to finding you,” Narvin explained.   
“There is a building for sale a few hours away from London,” Leela told her. “It used to be the headquarters for the people who are looking after you. Their name is UNIT. When they moved here, the building became empty. It has lots of rooms, but they do not want to give it to people they do not trust, just in case.”  
“We’re going to take them up on their kind offer and renovate the place. We can keep it for free, so long as we’re willing to consult in the case of potential alien incursions,” Romana explained. “We’ll make it into a home for ourselves, and then work on the rest of the rooms.”  
“Eventually,” Narvin finished, “we’ll turn it into an Earth thing called a ‘bed and breakfast’. We’ll run it together.” He smiled with hope for a future he’d never allowed himself to dream of, and placed his arms around the shoulders of the two women closest to him – Leela and Ace. Romana threw her arms over their shoulders too so that they made a circle together.

 

“We’ll run a bed and breakfast together, as a family.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please drop a comment! I'm not a huge writer so I'm always open to criticism, too.


End file.
